Vacation rush in Kuwait

Published Date

July 6 - More than 123,000 people left Kuwait over the weekend through the country’s various exit points. The exodus followed the announcement of school exam results and resulted in massive congestions on the way to the airport and at the land exit points.

People had to be resilient and wait in queues that stretched more than five kilometres near the Salmi border exit.

Tension was palpable at the airport where passengers were concerned they would miss their flights. Beirut, Amman, Damascus and Cairo were the top Arab destinations, while London and Kuala Lumpur topped the list for non-Arab capitals.

“We are trying to run away from the high temperatures and hard weather that have afflicted us lately, particularly now that the vacation will be shorter than usual this year,” said one passenger.

Ramadan is expected to start on August 11 this year, a date that would mark for many Kuwaitis the end of their summer vacation.